A slip of the wrist
by inkinmyheartandonthepage
Summary: One-shot AU- Emma accidentally turns Belle into a cat while she learns how to use magic and enlists the help of everyone to make sure Gold doesn't find out. Rumbelle. Rated T for safety.


**Hello everyone! I know it has been quite some time since I update anything! I have no life at the moment, what with school full time, the amount of homework I have gotten and the two jobs I'm working. It's taken me being ill to be able to have anytime to write this (and nobody like doing homework when they are sick. Writing is so much better). I'm so happy that I have been able to put something up here for everyone! It's been much to long. **

**This is just a one-shot! I will not be continuing it at all. JUST A ONE-SHOT! **

**This is all me so I apologize for any mistakes that are in here. I hope you all enjoy!**

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**Summary: **_AU- _Emma accidently turns Belle into a cat while she learns how to use magic and enlists the help of everyone to make sure Gold doesn't find out.

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**A slip of the wrist **

_Knock knock knock _

Looking up from where Regina was folding some on Henry's clothes, she frowned. She wasn't expecting any visitors. Curious, and maybe a bit concerned, she finished folding the T-shirt she was holding before making her way downstairs. By the time she reached the door, the person on the other side had knocked several more times. Regina could hear the inpatients behind it.

With a weary sigh she pulled opened the door and immediately glared. "Miss Swan, here to try and arrest me again?"

"I need your help," Emma said, ignoring the (and perhaps justified) jab.

Regina's red lips curled into a wicked looking a smile. "Is that so? And what could I possibly help you with?"

Without missing a beat, Emma held up a cat. It was chestnut brown with stunning blue eyes. The cat was only small, it ears alert and it locked eyes with Regina and stared.

"I don't know what you've been told," Regina said, lifting her gaze back to Emma. "But I don't deal with cats. Good day."

"Wait!" Emma said, shoving her foot in the door before Regina could close it. "This isn't just some cat. It's Belle."

"What?" Regina opened the door wider and took another closer look at the cat. The eyes looked familiar (how often had she seen them when she had held Belle captive?) and her stomach began to clench with dread.

"I was trying to practice magic," Emma explained reluctantly. "And Belle came in and she startled me and now she is a cat."

"Rumplestilskin will skin you alive," Regina laughed unkindly. "The last person to try and hurt Belle was me and Rumple set a wraith on me without hesitation."

"Which is why I need your help changing her back," Emma hissed, looking down at Belle. She held her awkwardly in her hands, cradled against her red jacket.

Belle for that matter looked just as uncomfortable, legs tucked up uncomfortably. She hadn't wanted to be carried, but she was still getting used to her four legs and Emma had scooped her up before she had the chance to run to Rumple.

"Put her down and come inside," Regina sighed. As much as she would love to see Emma squirm under the wrath of the Dark One, she didn't need the imp on the war path at the moment. Regina caught Emma's suspicious and she glared hard. "I don't have all day."

Slowly, Emma put Belle down and slowly stepped inside. Belle didn't move. She sat down on the door mat and just stared at Regina.

"Do you want to stay a cat all day?" Regina asked coldly.

With a glare of her own, Belle stepped inside with her head held high.

With a roll of her eyes, Regina shut the door behind them. Spinning on her high heels she swept past Belle and Emma. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Emma questioned, following anyway.

"Living room," Regina said with a sweeping gesture. "We may need the room." She rounded on Emma, hands on her hips. "Now, what spell did you use?"

"Spell?" Emma shifted from foot to foot.

"Yes, spell," Regina drawled. "Was it a simple transfiguration spell? A curse?"

"A slip of the wrist," Emma supplied unhelpfully.

"You don't know what spell you used?" Regina stared. At Emma sheepish look Regina put a hand to her forehead. "This is why you need a teacher who knows and understands magic."

"You sound just like Mary Margret," Emma huffed. "Can you turn her back or not?"

Regina looked at Belle. "Unfortunately our saviour doesn't know what she used on you which means turning you back may take a bit longer than I originally thought."

Belle meowed, her tail flicking once behind her.

"What does that mean?" Emma frowned.

"It means that if I don't use the same spell, I could turn Belle into a cat forever and I for one do not want Rumple coming after me when he finds out," Regina explained harshly. "And I'm sure Belle doesn't want to remain a cat forever either."

To confirm this Belle nodded and meowed.

From thin air in a puff or purple smoke, Regina produced a small beautifully decorated journal. "I need to some research."

"What can I do?" Emma asked, a determined glint in her eye.

"You can make sure that Rumple doesn't find out about his true love," Regina said.

"True love?" Emma frowned, looking down to Belle.

Belle purred loudly, tail flickering from side to slide.

"She's Mr Gold's true love?" Emma frowned back at Regina.

Smirking, Regina said, "Oh yes, and don't you ever forget it." She opened the book and started flipping through the pages. "Go do whatever it is you do, Miss Swan. I'll let you know when I have something."

Emma hesitated. "Belle, will you be okay?"

Belle gave another little meow and nodded her head.

"I learnt my lesson," Regina said, looking at Belle. "I have no desire to hurt you and have Rumple after my blood."

The two women (one a recent cat) stared at one another. Although she may have been a cat, she could hear that Regina was sincere. She nodded once to show she believed her.

"Okay. I'll come by later then," Emma said. She threw Belle one last look before she slowly made her way out of the house.

* * *

Rumplestilskin, or known as Mr Gold in this realm frowned as he closed his shop. Belle was supposed to come meet him for lunch as they had planned earlier that morning. She had insisted that she was going to bring him a picnic lunch. When lunch came by and Belle had not shown up he began to grow worried.

She was still getting used to this new realm, having being locked up for twenty eight years. He had lost her once before and he had no intention of doing so again. With his cane in hand, he began limping towards the library. It was possible that she had been caught up in a book that she had forgotten. It was a rare occurrence in the dark castle, him often finding her curled up with a book when she was supposed to be cleaning or serving tea.

He limped to the library, the people of Storybrooke giving him a wide berth. They had been ever since he brought magic back. The only ones who hadn't were the Charming's and Miss Swan. The pawn shop wasn't far from the library so it didn't take him long.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The library was empty and silent. "Belle?" he called, his Scottish accent ringing out.

There was no answer. Frowning, he went to the secret room he had installed for Belle. Opening it, his teeth pulled back in a snarl. Belle wasn't there.

He left the library and scanned Storybrooke, trying to figure out where she would be. He would search the whole town to find her if he had too.

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While Regina studied her magic book, Belle took the moment to test out her new legs. When Emma had first turned her, she had been frightened and had took off under the bed in order to have a moment to get her head a round it.

Mary Margret had spent a good half an hour trying to coax her out of bed but there was no way Belle was leaving that bed. She had eventually calmed down enough to know that she needed Rumple and planned on going there. But while she had been thinking, Emma and David had come up with a plan to ask Regina and she was scooped up from behind and taken to Regina's.

Having four legs felt strange and her tail seemed to flick with each step she took. She realised that it was what was keeping her balanced and soon was running in circles around Regina's glass coffee table.

"You're making me dizzy," Regina drawled from where she was perched on the couch, her eyes never leaving the page.

Belle came to a gentle trot before stopping by Regina's legs. Feeling more confident about her new body, Belle readied herself with a slight wiggle of her butt and jumped onto the couch, landing neatly beside Regina.

"You had better not leave cat fur all over the place," Regina warned her.

Rolling her eyes, Belle let out a huffing noise.

"I need to know what Emma used," Regina huffed, closing the book with a snap. "If I don't then you could be a cat forever."

This is why Belle originally wanted to go to Rumple. He would know what to do and have her back with two legs in no time.

"Stupid girl," Regina growled. "What was she thinking? Surely by now she must understand the implications of magic."

The front door opening and closing both had Regina and Belle freezing. A few padded footsteps later and Henry appeared in the door way. "Hi mum."

"Henry," Regina smiled, her whole body relaxing at the sight of him. "What are you doing here? Not that you aren't welcome, of course."

Henry was staying with Emma and Mary Margret at the moment, Regina seeing very little of the son she had raised. It was difficult for her and Belle felt a twinge of pity for the Queen.

"Hi. I just wanted to grab some things from my room," he said with his usual smile. His eyes landed on Belle and they grew wide. "When did you get a cat?" he hurried forward to pet her.

Belle shivered at the touch but admittedly it felt good and so she allowed Henry to give her a few more.

"Unfortunately, that is Belle," Regina told him the truth.

Freezing, Henry withdrew his hand and with a hurt look to his mother he said, "You turned Belle into a cat? Why?"

"Not me," Regina assured him quickly. "Emma did. An accident of course. She was practicing magic and Belle here startled her."

Henry looked back to Belle. "Is that true? My mum did this to you?"

Belle nodded and the gently rubbed her face against Regina's hand, trying to covey that Regina was helping her.

Henry seemed to understand. "You're trying to change her back?"

"Yes," Regina nodded. "I think it's best if we change her back before Mr Gold finds out. As you know, he has a bit of a temper."

He could only agree. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually there is," Regina smiled. "I need you to get Emma to tell you what happened exactly. What she was feeling and what spell she was trying to cast."

"I can do that," Henry beamed, chest puffing out. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't worry, Belle." With a wave, Henry was dashing out of the house.

Regina and Belle stared after him, both with the same thought running through their mind; he was a good kid.

* * *

Anger was rising steadily in Mr Gold. He had checked everywhere in Storybrooke for his Belle, double checking the usual places she liked to go. He had also asked around, even going to her father which had resulted in some yelling, but nobody had seen her.

With a firm knock on the door, Mr Gold waited for the Charming's to answer. He could hear movement inside and a few moments later, David was opening the door.

"Mr Gold," he said. "What can I help you with?"

"Have you seen Belle?" Gold asked, getting straight to the point. "She was supposed to meet me for lunch but did not show. Nobody around town has seen her either."

David shifted minutely but Gold, with his sharp eyes, saw it. "No, we haven't seen her."

Gold's mouth twisted into a sneer. "You're lying. Where is she?"

"I just told you, we haven't-"

"You are a terrible lair," Gold snarled. "I am in the mood for no games, Charming. Tell me where she is." With a harsh shove he pushed open the door and limped past David and scanned the room.

Both Mary Margret and Emma where in the kitchen, both looking worried and guilty.

"Mr Gold," Mary Margret smiled hesitantly.

"You are the most meddling family I have ever had the misfortune to meet," Gold said coldly. His gripped his cane tighter. "You tell me where Belle is, right now."

"She's not here," Emma said, jutting her chin out. "We haven't seen her."

"Do not lie to, Miss Swan," Gold grinned dangerously. "You will not like the consequences."

"Emma, Emma!" Henry's voice came floating down the buildings hallway along with his rapid footsteps. "I know what happened to Belle. I saw her. What spell did you-" he came to a skidding halt in the middle of the room. Taking in the scene before him.

"What did you say boy?" Gold demanded. "You saw Belle."

Henry nodded.

"Well, where is she?"

"She's with my mum. She trying to change Belle back," Henry supplied unhelpfully.

"Henry," Emma moaned. "That was a secret."

"Oops."

"Change Belle back into what?" Gold growled.

"From a cat," Henry supplied quietly.

"And why is my Belle a cat?" Gold demanded, his tone like acid.

Emma sighed. "Because I accidently changed her into one when I was practicing magic."

Gold turned to Emma and she shivered at the look he pierced her with. "You are coming with me. Let's go." His tone left no room for discussion.

* * *

The front door of Regina's home opened and closed once more.

"That was fast," Regina mumbled to herself.

"Belle?" Gold called.

Regina's stiffened and Belle eagerly leapt from the couch. Gold came limping into the living room and easily caught Belle as she launched herself at him. He cradled her gently, stroking her soft fur and she purred happily, butting her head under his chin.

"Oh sweetheart," he cooed softly. "I'll have you back in no time." He looked to Regina.

Putting her hands up in defence, Regina quickly assured him, "I had nothing to do with this. Emma came to _me _for help."

"I am aware," he said, his tone clipped. A moment later the Charming's, along with Henry, were all piling into the living room.

"I said I was sorry," Emma huffed. "Regina said we could fix it."

"You will not be fixing anything," Gold said harshly. "You've done enough." A gentle lick to his chin had Rumple's attention back on Belle. He carded his fingers through her hair once more. "I need to put you down, Sweetheart." Carefully, he put her down and Belle curled around his ankle, settling herself beside him.

"I couldn't figure out what spell Emma used," Regina said, standing up and addressing Rumplestilskin.

"She's use a transfiguration spell, using a stray bit of animal hair that was on her jacket at the time," Gold said, talking as if Emma wasn't even in the room. "Belle, stand over there a bit." He directed her, pointing with a finger.

Obediently, Belle trotted a few paces away and sat, waiting expectantly.

With a wave of his hand, purple smoke engulfed Belle. As it cleared away, it revealed Belle back in human form and completely naked. She had her arms around her, covering as much as herself as she could.

Rumple limped to her, shrugging his jacket off as he did and wrapping it around her once he reached her, covering her from view.

"Thank you," Belle smiled beautifully at him, reaching up to kiss him quickly.

"Belle, I'm so sorry," Emma apologized.

Rumple opened his mouth to snap at her but Belle elbowed him in the gut, making him grunt. "It's okay," she said. "Next time I will knock."

"There won't be a next time," Gold grumbled.

"Thank you, Regina. And Henry. I appreciate the help," Belle said. She scanned the room. "But next time, let me just go to Rumple. He knows magic and would never let anything harm me. It would save us all a lot of time and a lot less fur stuck in my throat." As if to prove it, Belle coughed.

"Let's get you home, love," Rumple said, arm going around her waist to lead her out. As he passed Emma, he said quiet enough for only her to here. "This isn't over, dearie. All magic comes with a price."

Emma tried not to let her fear show.

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**Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Please review and happy reading! Hopefully I will see you all again soon. :)  
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